Notarial Services

Appointments are required for notarial services. Appointments are available to American citizens and foreign nationals doing business with American citizens and/or corporations on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. We are closed on American and Indian holidays.

Government-issued photo identification with signature (e.g., a passport, a driver's license, etc.) is required. If the document also requires witnesses, you must bring your own witnesses, each of whom should present identification.

How to obtain an apostille in India and authenticate Indian documents for use in the United States, including contact information for government offices. More informationInstructions for Notary Services

An Affidavit is a sworn statement, made by you. Write out the statement you wish to make, but do not sign the form.

For us to notarize your documents, you must:

Have a government-issued photo ID, e.g. a passport

Understand your document, as we are not allowed to explain the contents to you

Have filled in the document with the appropriate names, places and dates

Don't sign it; you'll sign it at the Embassy or Consulate in front of the notary

Power of Attorney

A power of attorney allows you to designate someone to take legal actions on your behalf. A common example of this is empowering someone else to buy or sell property in the U.S. in your name while you are overseas. Since we cannot advise you on the specific language or content of a power of attorney, please consult a lawyer or other appropriate advisor before coming to see us to have your power of attorney notarized.

Blank Power of Attorney (PDF 5KB) forms are available online, or you may use one supplied to you by your attorney, bank, or company.

Please fill out the form before you come to our offices, but do not sign it in advance. You will sign in the presence of a Consul.

Affidavit of Competency to Marry/No Objection Letter

This office occasionally receives requests to provide “No Objection” letters concerning a person’s intent to marry in India. The Embassy cannot make any official certification about the status or eligibility to marry of persons residing in the United States who propose to be married abroad, or about the laws of the United States or of any of the fifty States or Territories about eligibility for marriage or the solemnization of a marriage. Some countries require persons who wish to marry to provide written proof, issued by governmental authority, that there is no legal impediment to the marriage. No such document, or governmental authority to issue such document, exists in the United States.

Previously, this Embassy provided a letter to American citizens wishing to marry in India which stated that we were prohibited from notarizing affidavits concerning marital status. Based on new guidance from the U.S. Department of State the Embassy is authorized to notarize a statement from the U.S. citizen party to the marriage, in which the citizen him or herself affirms that they are free to marry. You can download a blank “No Objection” letter here (PDF). You should use this form if you are planning to marry In India.

Acknowledgement of Execution

An Acknowledgement of Execution is a notary which verifies that a particular person signed a given document. It is often used for legal agreements, business documents, etc. It is also used when more than two signatures are required on the document but all of the parties who must sign are not present. We can notarize (or acknowledge) only the signatures of those who are present to sign in front of us or appear in front of us and verify that they have signed the document.

Certification of True Copies of Documents

Occasionally, we get requests to certify true copies of educational transcripts or diplomas, bank statements, court documents, or other such official records. Unfortunately, our offices cannot ordinarily provide certified true copies of documents. Such requests should usually be addressed to the office which issued the document in question. For example, certified true copies of academic records should be requested from the registrar of the institution that originally issued them. For more information on this subject, please consult the State Department's website.

Signature (or "Medallion") Guarantees

A medallion signature guarantee is not a notarial service. It should not be confused with a corporate acknowledgement executed by a corporate officer before a notary public or U.S. State Department notarizing official authorized to administer oaths. A medallion signature guarantee is a special signature guarantee for the transfer of securities. It is a guarantee by the transferring financial institution that the signature is genuine and the financial institution accepts liability for any forgery. Signature guarantees protect shareholders by preventing unauthorized transfers and possible investor losses. They also limit the liability of the transfer agent who accepts the certificates.

When selling or transferring securities, the signatures of investors on stock certificates must be "guaranteed" by a financial institution participating in a medallion program approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). An eligible guarantor institution (bank, stock broker, savings and loan association or credit union) must have a membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion under SEC Rule 17ad-15. Entities with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program must arrange a surety bond and apply for, and receive, acceptance as a program guarantor. The guarantor institution must then obtain the necessary equipment required to perform the medallion signature guarantee function.

U.S. consular/notarizing officers are not authorized to provide signature guarantee/medallion guarantee service. Only a financial institution participating in an SEC medallion signature guarantee program is authorized to affix a medallion imprint. No other form of signature verification can be accepted to transfer securities.

Persons who ask posts to perform signature guarantee/medallion guarantee services may be referred to local branches of U.S. banks, brokers or attorneys. Alternatively, they may contact the SEC directly via the internet, via phone at 1-800-SEC-0330 (investor assistance and complaints), via fax at 202-942-7040, or by mail at Mail Stop 11-2, 450 Fifth Street N.W., Washington, DC 20549.

Information on Indian Notaries

In some cases, individuals residing in India may wish to seek the services of an Indian notary. ACS encourages clients who require Indian notarials for documents, such as notarial deeds, authentication of private documents and articles of incorporation, affidavits, and the attachment of officially-attested dates. To learn more about providers of notarial services in India, please visit the Indian Ministry of Law website.

Certified Photocopy

The Embassy also can make certified true copies of documents for use in the United States. For example, the Embassy can make a certified true copy of an Indian citizen's passport for submission with Form W-7 to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Please note that the Embassy does not provide certified true copies for documents that will be submitted to Indian government authorities. Persons seeking a "true copy" for use in India should consult with an Indian Notary Public.

What notarial services do you provide? Consular officers perform most services customarily provided by Notaries Public in the United States. Visit our U.S. Citizens Services webpage for more information and for a list of our notarial services.

Does the Embassy/Consulate provide notary services to Indians or only to U.S. citizens?They are provided to either Indians or U.S. Citizens who need to have documents notarized for use in the U.S.

How do I apply for a notary service?To apply for a notary service at the Embassy or Consulates in India you have to schedule an appointment. Please check the Notary Services page for more information.

I require a witness for my notarial. Can the Consular Officer be my witness? No, consular officers are unable to act as your witness. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide his or her own witnesses.

I’m not an American citizen but need a notarial service for use in the United States. Can I go to the Embassy for this service?Yes, we perform notarial services for non-American citizens – but only if the notarial is for use in the United States.

Can you notarize my Medallion Signature Guarantee?Documents that require a “Medallion Signature Guarantee” for transfer of securities cannot be notarized at the U.S. Embassy. Please check with your financial institution for instructions.

Can my friend notarize my document for me?No, the individual who will sign the document must appear in person for this service.